Cartridge actuated tool



K. W. MAIER CARTRIDGE ACTUATED TOOL Feb. 10, 1959 Filed April 25, 1957 FIG-4 INVENTOR.

KARL W. MAI ER FIG-2 United States CARTRIDGE ACTUATED TOOL Karl W. Maicr, Cheshire, Comm, assignor to Olin Mathiason Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia This invention relates to powder or cartridge actuated tools and in particular to such tools wherein a piston, propelled by hot gases or other fluid pressure is utilized to accomplish a cutting or punching operation, drive a fastener or perform other work.

The invention deals with piston tools which utilize blank cartridges to generate the fluid pressure for driving the piston.

particular object of the present invention is the pro vision of a cartridge actuated tool utilizing a piston where the blank cartridge is disposed in the piston.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a powder actuated tool wherein the primary elements of the structure include a cylinder 01 barrel and a piston.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cartridge actuated tool wherein the cartridge is carried by thepiston and is automatically ejected therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a powder actuated tool having a side loading feature.

A still further object is the provision of a powder actuated tool wherein the conventional receiver structure which usually receives the recoilingbarrel has been eliminated.

A furthr object of the present invention is the provision of a cartridge actuated tool wherein the breeching function, normally accomplished by the receiver, is performed by the barrel or cylinder. Another. object of the invention is the provision of a controlled and 'adiustable blow back action in the sense that such action is imparted to the bolt in a blow back or d a-yed ow bac pp rat d fi m.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a powder actuated tool having a captive piston wherein the cartridge chamber is incorporated in the piston.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a powder actuated tool of the piston type having a minimum of structural elements. v

A tool embracing certain features of the present in vention may comprise a piston slidably disposed-in a barrel, said piston having a cartridge chamber formed therein, said piston being movable to a firing position, said chamber being so disposed in the piston that a cartridge positioned in the chamber is breeched against the barrel wall when the piston is in the firing position.

Other features and .advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, in section, of a piston type powder actuated tool with which the principles of the present invention may be associated;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. l.as viewed in the plane of line 2-2 and in the direction of the arrows; v

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the showing of Fig. 1 as observed in the plane of line 3'3 illustrating the atent 2,812,682 Patented Feb. 10, 1959 2 spring clip utilized to hold the piston in firing position and;

Fig. 4 shows a modified version of the chamber structureof Fig. l.

Referring now to the single sheet of drawings there is shown a barrel member indicated by the reference numeral 10 formed with a bore 11 for slidably receiving a piston 12. The piston carries a head 13 adapted to be received in a second bore 14. The head 13 is adapted to perform work directly as by cutting or engage and drive a fastener such as the stud 16 in response to kinetic energy developed in the piston in a man ner which will become more apparent hereinafter.

It is to be noted that the barrel 10 is in threaded engagement with a head or cap 17 formed with a handle 18.

The piston is formed with a chamber 19 adapted to receive a blank cartridge 21. The cartridge is breeched against the barrel wall. The chamber 19 communicates with the base or rear face 22 of the piston by means of the bore 23. This arrangement is elfective to permit hot gases that are generated when the cartridge is fired to impinge upon the piston to drive the piston downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1.

.In the condition shown in Fig. 1, the piston may be considered to be in the firing position, cocked and ready for firing wherein a trigger mechanism, indicated generally by the reference numeral 24, includes a firing pin 26 adapted to engage and strike the rim portion of the cartridge 21.

The dotted line position of the firing pin 26 represents the cooked condition wherein a cross pin 27 carried by the pin is shown restrained by a pair of opposed lugs 23 carried by the firing pin housing 29.

In the cocked condition a firing pin spring 31 is held compressed and upon rotation of a handle 32 formed integral with the firing pin 26 through approximately /1 turn the cross pin and the lugs are disengaged to release the firing pin whereupon the spring 31 drives the pin into the cartridge rim to detonate the cartridge in conventional manner. Obviously any suitable firing mechanism may be utilized.

As the powder within the cartridge burns hot gases are developed at pressures sufiicient to drive the piston downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1 and the head 13 is effective to engage and drive the fastener 16 into a work piece.

It is to be noted that as the piston moves downwardly the head of the cartridge first reacts against the bore 11 and thereafter encounters a tapered surface 33 which permits the blow back action (tendency for the hot gases to drive the spent cartridge against its breech) to urge the cartridge out of the chamber gradually as the piston moves to the left. Ultimately the chamber and cartridge are free of the incline 33 whereupon the spent cartridge is ejected to the atmosphere through the port 34. The port 34 is also the loading port.

To avoid ejecting the shell or cartridge with considerable force and in a manner which would be dangerous, additional venting means should be provided at suitable locations to permit the main body of the hot gases to escape after the desired amount of kinetic energy has been imparted to the piston.

It is not intended that the present invention be limited to disposition of the cartridge at right angles to the longitudinal areas of the piston 12.

Attention is directed to Fig. 4 wherein there is an example of a cartridge chamber disposed at an angle other than with respect to the longitudinal axis of the piston.

In Fig. 4 a chamber 19a is shown carrying a cartridge 21a where the head of the cartridge, while the piston and firing pin are in the cocked position, is positioned punching or 'to 3 adjacent the incline 33a. .In other words, the cartridge may be breeched along the barrel wall including the inclined portions, as desired.

Correspondingly, the firing pin 26a is shown disposed at an angle consistent with the angular disposition of the cartridge.

A wide variety of incline angles may be employed depending upon considerations of design and effective operation.

Furthermore, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosed positions of the cartridge with respect to the inclined surfaces 33 and 33a; it is to be understood that the several arrangements shown are primarily for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the present invention.

The piston 12 is maintained in alignment angularly with respect to the barrel wherein :1 lug '36 formed on the piston is adapted to slide to and fro in a slot 37 formed in the barrel. In this manner, the piston is free to reciprocate with the barrel but cannot rotate with respect to the barrel.

A cocking bar, indicated generally by the reference numeral 38 and normally disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1, is provided to move the piston to the cocked or firing position as-shown in Fig. 1.

The piston is held in the firing position by the engagement of the lug 36 with a spring clip 46 (Figs. 1 and 3).

When the cartridge is fired the piston moves downwardly. A front face 41 thereof abuts a corresponding face 42 of the barrel and the lug 36 pulls out of the spring clip 46.

The piston is returned to the firing position by sliding the cocking bar whereupon a dog 43 formed on the bar engages and returns the lug to the spring clip 36.

Release of the bar 38 permits the bar to return to its normal position (Fig. 2) in response to coil spring 47.

This arrangement of the cocking bar is desirable so that except for the moment when the piston is being retracted the bar remains in the condition shown in the drawing. The bar is never driven by the piston.

It is anticipated that various modifications and variations may be devised in the embodiments of the invention shown herein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge actuated tool of the type wherein a piston is slidably disposed in a barrel, said piston having a cartridge chamber formed therein, said piston being movable to a firing position, said chamber being so disposed in the piston that a cartridge positioned in the chamber is breeched against thebarrel wall when the 4 piston'is in the firing position said wall being that portion of the barrel along which the piston slides.

2. A cartridge actuated tool comprising a barrel having a combined cartridge loading and cartridge ejection port, a piston slidably disposed in the barrel, said piston having a cartridge chamber formed therein, said piston being movable relative to said barrel from a loading position wherein said chamber is accessible through said port for inserting a cartridge to a firing position wherein a cartridge so inserted is breeched against the barrel wall.

3. A cartridge actuated tool comprising a barrel having a closed end and having a combined cartridge loading and cartridge ejection port, a piston slidably disposed in the barrel, said piston having a cartridge chamber formed thcrein, said chamber communicating with the closed end of the barrel, said piston being movable relative to said barrel from a loading position wherein said chamber is accessible through said port for inserting a cartridge to a firing position wherein a cartridge so inserted is breeched against the barrel wall and means for firing said cartridge whereby hot gases generated upon firing are directed towards the closed end of the barrel effective to drive the piston towards said port to allow the spent cartridge to be ejected by the blow back action.

4. A powder actuated tool comprising a barrel element having a closed end, a piston disposed in the barrel and cooperating with said closed end to define a cavity, said piston being formed with a chamber for receiving a car-- tridge, said chamber being spaced from said cavity and communicating with said cavity whereby hot gases generated upon firing a cartridge are effective to drive the piston.

5. A powder actuated tool comprising a barrel element having a cartridge ejection port, a piston formed with a chamber for receiving a cartridge disposed in the barrel and movable towards said port to bring the chamber and the port in register, said chamber communicating with a surface of the piston whereby hot gases generated upon firing the cartridge are directed to said surface effective to drive the piston towards said port, the blow back action upon said spent cartridge being efiective to eject the cartridge automatically when the chamber and the port are in register.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,064,503 Temple Dec. 15., 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,921 Great- Britain of 1914 L ane. 

